cost to aircondition

[Libellula]

What might be the cost the retrofit a PDQ 36 with airconditioning and heat

[Cruisingdad]

Approx 5k for a CruiseAirr reverse cycle, 16k btu. THat is pretty ballpark. 16k should do you just fine on a 36.

- CD

Uhhh, correction, PDQ? As in a cat? You may end up putting in two condensers for that. You might check and see if there is any way to duct it to feed both hulls. Otherwise, I would see two units in your future. Mermaid makes some small units, but I have heard some questions about their reliability. I will not comment on it being true or not. If you put in two 12k btus, you should be able to hang meat in that boat.

[Libellula]

wow that is steep I think
but if I hope to gunk hole in NC and Va full time for the next 3 years I better either find a used boat with ac and heat or pony up

[Cruisingdad]

Well, that price should cover the install. If you do it yourself, you can save some coin... but not as much as you may think. THat is about what we quote people at the shows, covering install and vents and water line, and pump, etc.

Don't forget, ac requires a generator. You have to get a low rpm generator to run it all the time for ac. Other than the fact that you will be eating through a lot of diesel, you will also be faced with a large, expensive install.

You need to learn to do without it, honestly. A windscoop will help. But the concept of ac sounds good, but the reality is that it is not very practical except for large boats. We have 2 ac units, a 16 and a 12. We have a mastervolt generator. We have owned our boat for about 2 years I guess. It now has almost 25 hours on it. I am in Texas.

See where I am going?

- CD

[Libellula]

gotcha
and that is kind of where I am exploring
I love the ac when the temps are scorching at 103
but it is my hope to become more connected
not just live like on land but on the water
can just heat be installed- I do not like to be cold
suggestions

[Cruisingdad]

Yes, you can... but I would go with a straight RC AC/Heat like the one mentioned. THat way you can always have it at the marina. The worst time is when it is raining, honestly. Then you are hot and all closed up. THat was when we mostly run/ran ours.

They make diesel heaters, but we have never used one. I have seen them. They are on many NE/NW boats. Not real common in the islands/down south. Perhaps one of our northern friends could help.

- CD

[Libellula]

I had a diesel heater in one of my boats- I did not like the odor
but the heat was comforting
moist and warm

[k1vsk]

Cost for 16k CruisAir reverse-cycle heat/AC unit two years ago was $7500 to install and $2500 to do it myself. Choose to do the latter which was a 2 weekend project.

[Libellula]

now we are talking
but I still must answer the essential question
do I want more stuff that can break?

[deniseO30]

I'm in the same but not marine. Mostly resdential, light commercial, A friend suggested I consider marine hvacr but I shrugged it off saying I couldn't imagine my son I and sailing around fixing systems on boats then I started thinking....as I get close to retiring.... but maybe... and if....

Funny how no one wants to call reverse cycle systems heat pumps? Even more funny is how window units wind up in companion ways, hatches and dare not think where else I wonder when some high end marina's will offer ac ducted in from a unit on the docks? float in, drop your quarter in for 10mins of ac? $$$ a day, week? oh my!


oops.. guess I kinda highjacked the thread sorry Libellula

Denise